Pascal Matsakis - University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Professor: Pascal Matsakis

Department: Computer Science

College: University of Guelph, Guelph, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Pascal was one of the best profs I've had so far. He really cares about the success of his students and knows his stuff. Keeps lectures engaging and provides all his slides online which is really helpful. In class quizzes are pretty brutal, assignments are okay but time consuming. He's tough but would highly recommend!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

So Pascal is a beauty. Lectures are enjoyable and he makes coming to class worth it and is very funny. Partially because of the quizzes but you have to come to class and read the textbook to understand all of the content. Midterm and exam are hard, assignments aren't too bad but take some time. Quizzes are hit and miss.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Great guy, he clearly understands what he's talking about. Quizzes can be very hit or miss (more miss). Difficult overall but enjoyable considering its discrete.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Absolutely hilarious and entertaining professor. He's probably the only person who can make Discrete Structures interesting. Beware though his quizzes, assignments and tests are absolutely brutal. Even going to all lectures and labs the material is still difficult. But he is very respectful and will always help you out. I would take him again!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CIS1500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I have no idea what he's like as a prof but as the Director of the School of Computer Science, his professional communication skills are a joke. I know 8 year olds that are more professional and coherent than him. He needs a course in basic workplace communication. He's incredibly unprofessional.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CIS2520
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Pascal is an excellent professor from a standpoint of somebody who is in his class to learn. A lot of people complain about the difficulty of his courses and the seemingly unimportant details that he goes into. All of what he does is to prepare you for future courses which require all of that information which most perceive as "irrelevant".

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CIS2520
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The assignments were all mathematical based instead of creating something using the data structures such as linked list, hash tables etc. Also, has high expectations. Wouldn't recommend taking this course with Pascal. Cool guy but makes everything over complicated.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CIS1500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Assignments are very hard, if you are taking this course as an elective try another prof.... On the bring side, very good overall prof, but his expectation are too high for an introductory course.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Keep up with the work. It piles on fast. Hilarious though!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CIS1500
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Overall A Fantastic Prof!! Loved his class, very funny, class was never boring and the assignments were very interesting. Must do your work and assignments and assessments are very challenging. He has high but realistic expectations. If you have the chance definitely take his class. Absolutely loved it

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Hilarious prof. Assignments seem somewhat difficult, but he is extremely helpful if you ask him for help (i.e. go to his office hours).

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I want to hate Pascal, but he is just too funny. Very helpful if you go to his office hours. Assignments were essentially just getting the answers from the TA's. The Midterm and exam were incredibly hard; however, if you want to pass, write down ANYTHING, and you WILL get marks. Rewrite the question and you will get marks even. TA's are clueless.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very very difficult

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Way too hard

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CIS2520
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Decent teacher, but BE AWARE of his midterms and exams. Assignments, sample tests and course prep will NOT prepare you for his tests. His tests are easily double the difficulty of his sample tests. To do well in his class, assgn. should be completed with 100%, so that they can tank the tests. Overall, classes were decent, just look out for test

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CIS2910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

MATSAKISSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! He will test your will to live, and when you emerge at the other end of the course, you will be a stronger person. Provided you make it. Don't give up; he will help you so long as you help yourself. His standards are very high; reach for them.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GRAD600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Do not take his course unless you have to. Good person but always makes simple think too complex and present his own way, even some times do not care the most acceptable convention.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Took intro computer maths with this guy. He really tried to force us to think about things mathematically. People in CIS programs need to stop complaining when faced with math... it's your money/possible career... Very willing to answer questions outside of class time. Have used material from this class often since.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CIS2910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

makes everything extra hard,even when he knows that prereq course wasnt much help,takes pop quizzes,which is against uni policy,needs to slow down his course,has amazing sense of humour though!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CIS1910
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Do not take him unless you have to. Not an evil prof, actually very nice and entertaining. The problem is he makes his material much harder than it should be.